The Phantom's Shadow
by Rosearus
Summary: Erik , the infamous Phantom of the Opera , whom thought he would live to only love the one and only Christine Daae ; is surprised by the appearance of a dancer in the Opera only three months after the incident . Can Erik learn to accept that Christine will never return to him ? Or will he always be swallowed by his obsession and never see beauty in another ? Erik / Meg


I could still hear them . Still hear the sweet , soaring notes of her voice as it drove knives into my heart . Just barely I could see them , the straight silhouette of whom I thought was now my pain incarnate and the curved form of Christine . I was lying on my side , curled in the fetal position , my tears still hot on my face . My eyes burned , two green orbs in the sea of my bloodshot eyes . My straw blonde hair rest against my cheek and my breath stirred the almost absolute silence . Except for the whispers of my sobbing . One hand clutched the ring with a feverish vigor and the other kept reaching , reaching out towards Christine .

" Christine ..." I sang quietly , the name rolling from my tongue and spiraling towards the dark water ," Come back ..." With a sudden vehemence , I seized the edge of his platform and dragged myself into the water .

" Come back ... Christine ! Come back ! COME BACK , CHRISTINE !" I yelled . I choked as my face was enveloped by the water , the cool waves caressing my burning face . I sobbed into the cool water , lying with half my body enveloped . The wet hair lay splayed over the red half of my face , my hand still clutching the ring and holding it to my warm , pounding chest . And I wanted to die . Oh how I wanted to die in that moment .

3 Months Later

I could no longer hear the strains of the instruments from above . Could not hear the shuffling of the people coming to see the Opera . Constantly I could hear the screaming and the earth shattering sound as the chandelier crashed to the ground . The roar of flames . The sound of the crowd as Christine ripped my guise from me .

As she ripped my heart from me .

I put a hand to his chest , felt the warmth seep into my fingers and the beating of my heart resonate in my hand . The other hand curled the fingers under the jaw and lay it's palm against the rough side of my face . One eye lay half in shadow but gleamed under the thumb , the other an anguished verdure orb . I started to laugh . I ripped his hands from their positions and flung them out in a grand gesture . Springing to my feet , I turned in wide circles , as if I were dancing . Still laughing , I grabbed my hair in my fingers , blood grazing my fingertips at the strength of my grip .

" Oh , Christine ! Look what you've done . Left me alone , left me with none ! Oh , Christine ! No where to go , no where to run ! My memory will haunt you ever day ! Oh , Christine ... You can't keep me at bay !"

And then silence .

Absolute silence as I searched for the sound he had heard . Footsteps . Footsteps from above . Above ! Above in the Opera house ! Quiet , cat-like footsteps , close together . A dancer . With a fiery vehemence , I sprang to the other side of my platform ,to my golden organ . The candle light cast it into shadow , but I knew where it was . I quickly fit the wig unto my head and then the mask on my face . The cool presence of the mask soothed me and I ran a hand over the night black wig . Time to rise from the shadows .

I crept with predator silent footsteps across the catwalk positioned over the stage . The stage was in complete darkness with no one to light the gas foot lights . The seats of the opera , the ones left at least , were black from the fire . Gleaming arms of silver and crystals sat in the middle of the seats , black tongues lapping up it's side . My beautiful chandelier . The smell of burnt wood became stronger as I positioned myself over the stage . I fell to his chest quickly as I heard it . The footsteps . I could hear them behind and to the side of where I lay , coming around the side of the stage . As the footsteps came to center stage , I could immediately tell the figure was a women . Statuesque , tall and beautiful . A curtain of long blonde hair falling to his needlepoint waist .

But also not Christine .

She began dancing slowly , doing short jumps and small spins . When she paused , she pushed her hair out of her face and stretched her arms over her head . She then curtsied and began again . This time , she was dancing faster . Delicate , graceful , high jumps and then landing into a spin . Her hair spun and flew into a wave of gold and the silvery-white limbs gleamed in their graceful endeavors . And then she stopped . Even in the low light , I could see the faint sheen of sweat gleam on her face . Could smell the spiral of her perfume from where I lay mixed with sickly-sweet sweat . She curtsied once more and then began again once more . It was during her intricate performance that I realized something with a slowly dawning terror and fascination . She knew I was here . She most definitely knew I was here , without a doubt . She was not practicing , she was performing . And when she curtsied , she curtsied towards Box five . Box five , my box . The phantom's box . And she knew it . I shifted as to get a better view , waiting for her to stop . It wasn't long , she easily collapsed into a pool of her own skirts , her chest heaving , sweat gleaming on her skin . And then she bowed her head , deep and for a long period of time , in the direction of my box . For how long she sat there in her skirts , I've no idea . How long I sat there and watched the graceful figure that was not Christine , I've also no idea . But she got up , combed her hair away from her forehead with her fingers and smoothed her skirts . Even from here , I could see her hair curl where it touched the sweat on her forehead .

She drew herself up and released a beautiful , high voice , singing : " Dear , I've known where you've been . How long do you think you can go unseen ? I know your secrets , I know where you lay . Dear you can't keep me away . Please know I want you no harm , please have no alarm . And when the sun doesn't shine where you lay , know I will be here every day ." She curtsied , long and low and then left the stage . I could hear her skirts ruffle behind me and then silence .


End file.
